scenes and fooleries by which the dignity of his character was not a little impaired. It may be very well for lads just come from school, and abounding more in high spirits than discretion, to transgress occasionally the limits of strict decorum and grave propriety of demeanour; but it does not become right honorable hereditary legislators approaching the middle of life to play boy’s pranks, and disturb the peace of the neighbourhood. Such conduct does not add greatly to human dignity; and though very amusing for the time being, is not always productive of any permanent satisfaction. As one of these frolics to which we here allude is somewhat connected with the development of our history, we will relate it. One evening, towards the latter end of May, when the days are at such an inconvenient length that it is hardly candle-light by dinner-time, the Earl of Trimmerstone and Singleton Sloper had agreed to dine at a club-house at nine in the evening, together with a set of honorable ones of the same slip-shod dignity as themselves. Every thing was ordered to be prepared on the most sumptuous possible scale; and though the weather was not warm enough to render ice a luxury, the apartment was ordered to be raised to such a temperature that iced wines might be properly enjoyed. The Earl and his friend did not design to be at the expense of this entertainment; but promised themselves that a young gentleman who was to be of the party, would, for the sake of the honor of such high society, suffer himself to be honorably deprived of enough, and more than enough, to defray the cost of the banquet. The bait appeared to take; but as neither the Earl nor his friend Sloper was absolutely dishonest or addicted to play unfairly, as they both trusted rather to their own skill and experience than to any dishonorable artifices, they were most cruelly and miserably disappointed. For our own part, such is our fastidiousness and delicacy, that we think it at least dishonorable, if not absolutely dishonest, to sit down deliberately to play for large stakes where there is a supposed great advantage in skill or experience; and therefore we do not think that money is fairly won under such circumstances, even though only what is called fair play has been used. We are, however, very glad, when in such cases the knowing ones are taken in. So it happened in the present case. Whatever the young gentleman, whom his lordship intended to pluck, wanted in experience, he seemed to make up by natural quickness and observant attention; and without any design of deep play, he was led on “deeper and deeper still.” Now, Singleton hinted to his lordship that it would be absolutely necessary to apply the “vinous stimulus,” as Dr. Crack called it, more copiously to their too vigilant friend. But whether it was from superior strength and vigor of constitution in the young man, or from the anxiety and agitation of the others, it so happened that the Right Hon.